what tools come with risc os/can be bought for risc os?how much are they?and where can you find books teaching you how to use them?

thanks in advance

Assuming you're coming from a Windows background, programming under RISC OS is probably quite different from what you are used to.

The principle source of information regarding RISC OS is the PRM's (Programmers Reference Manuals) which list all the system API's and then some. These can be bought in both printed and electronic format on CD. See your local dealer (http://dmoz.org/Computers/Systems/RISC_OS/Dealers/) for information on pricing and availability.

The tools that "come with" RISC OS depend on what the dealer wishes to include. It also depends on what your choice of language is. You won't find "Visual" languages like "Visual C/C++" and "Visual Basic" under RISC OS. These are strictly MS only. Java is rather limited ATM (or rather the available JVM is. Compiler wise there are no problems). C/C++ has strong support along with languages such as Perl, Python, Smalltalk and compilers exist for older languages such as Fortran etc.

Commercial C/C++ compiler suites exist, the latest being the 32bit offering from Castle for £99 ATM though this is a limited time offer. There are also various free compilers such as GCC and Jikes.

I'm familier with WimpWorks. However I was strictly refering to the Visual langauges on Windows, and the Visual Studio IDE. Such IDE's are not available under RISC OS. Personally I find such environments restrictive, but that's just IME. You would also be unable to take VB code, paste it into WimpWorks and compile it.

Also now that Visual Basic has advanced into it's current .NET guise, it has taken on "OO" capabilities. I say "OO" only because that's what the MS PR team would have you believe and whether it actually constitutes an OO language is debatable. WimpWorks is certainly not an OO language.

You could argue that any language can be a "Visual" one given the simplicity of the RISC OS polling and windowing API's.

I do agree however that should a developer with VB skills wish to move platform, WimpWorks would be a good start. For professional grade development though, I doubt any language founded on BASIC is good enough. For large scale development, BASIC (any variant) is missing many many features